ICH. "'It was mere high rough masses of hillocks (HULLEN); between them the water settled, and had no flow. In the driest years we couldn't cart the hay out, but had to put it up in big ricks. Only in winter, when the frost was sharp, could we get it home. But now we have cut away the hillocks; and the trenches that your Majesty got made for us take the water off. And now the Luch is as dry as your Majesty sees, and we can carry out our hay when we please.'
KING. "'That is well. Have your tenants, too, more cattle than formerly?'
ICH. "'Ja!'
KING. "'How many more?'
ICH. "'Many have one cow, many two, according as their means admit.'
KING. "'But how many more have they in all? About how many, that is?'
ICH. "'About 150 head.'
"His Majesty must lately have asked the Herr General von Gortz, how I came to know him,—as I told his Majesty to ask General von Gortz about the Holstein rye;—and presumably the Herr General must have answered, what was the fact, That he had first known me in Holstein, where I dealt in horses, and that I had been at Potsdam with horses. Suddenly his Majesty said: 'Hear! I know you are fond of horses. But give up that, and prefer cows; you will find your account better there.'
ICH. "'Your Majesty, I no longer deal in horses. I merely rear a few foals every year.'
KING. "'Rear calves instead; that will be better.'